Miniature electric light bulb socket



, 1 F.M.,DESSART 2,265,360

MINIATURE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB SOCKET Filed Sept. 30, 1939 BY I @QNMW ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 9, 1941' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINIATURE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB SOCKET Franklyn M. Dessart, New York, N. Y.

Application September 30, 1939, Serial No. 297,263

7 Claims.

This invention relates to lamp sockets or husks and more particularly to sockets or husks for miniature electric light bulbs for Christmas trees, and similar uses though it is noted that in most of the claims the invention is not limited to miniature lamp sockets, and in some claims not even to lamp sockets.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved socket or husk of this kind which can be easily-and cheaply made and has no loose parts or exposed electrical connections.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved device of this kind which is sightly in appearance and may be easily attached to a tree or other support.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity and efiiciency in such lamp sockets and to provide an extremely simple socket of this kind which is safe, ornamental and reliable in use, and economical to manufacture.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in the speciflcation and some of the claims, the invention as described in the broader claims is not limited to these, and many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with miniature electric light bulb husk or socket which briefly stated, includes an inner, electrically conductive threaded metal ferrule, the material at the inner end thereof forming an inner flange and a narrow conductor wire penetrating contact prong preferably integrally joining the ferrule flange. A dielectric disk seated in the ferrule flange carries through its center a metal rivet having a contact head within and out of contact with said ferrule, a contact prong being conductively secured to the other end of the rivet. A pair of insulated conducting cables are provided through the conductive wires of which said prongs are respec tively and conductively passed and bent around the outer insulated walls of said cables adjacent to said disc and ferrule. A shell of insulating material is molded around the ferrule, prongs and cables and holds all parts of the husk in firm dielectric assembly.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the husk;

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view, partly in elevation of the husk, the section being taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows of said line;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the open end of the husk;

Fig. 4' is a fragmental vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the contacts and prongs before inserting the prongs into the cables;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing a prong secured to the contact rivet;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental side elevation showing a prong joining the ferrule; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view, partly in elevation, showing a prong passing through a cable.

My improved electric-light-bulb husk includes an internally threaded ferrule l0 having a flared open outer end II and adapted to receive the threaded end of an electric light bulb. The ferrule material at the inner end of the ferrule is inwardly turned to form a flange l2 (Fig. 4), and is cut and turned to form a downwardly depending narrow contact prong l5 joining the edge of the flange and extendedaway from the flange in part substantially perpendicular to the plane thereof.

A disk l6 of dielectric material is seated in the ferrule on said flange I2, the adjacent inwardly pressed portion ll of the ferrule forming a seat for holding the disk in place. A metal rivet 20 in a central opening of the disk is provided with a lamp-contact-engaging head 2 lwithin the ferrule, and a rivet flange 22 at the other end of the rivet under which is engaged a contact strip 23 having a perforate end portion 24 received on said rivet and held by the rivet flange 22 flat against said dielectric disk, said strip forming a contact prong extended in part substantially perpendicularly away from said disk.

A pair of insulated conducting cables 25 are disposed across the husk near said disk. Said prongs l5 and 23 (Fig. '7) are respectively passed diametrically through the insulation 26 and cable strands 21 of these cables, the end portions 29 of the prongs being sharpened as at 30 for penetrating the cable, bent as at 29 around the insulation of the cables to hold the cables and prongs together, the cables being near but spaced from said disk I6 and flange 12 substantially parallel to a diameter of the disk.

A shell 33 for said ferrule comprises molded insulating plastic material, such as Bakelite or the like, molded around the ferrule, prongs and adjacent portion of the insulation of the cables, and forms a cylindrical body countersunk as at 34 at said flared end II, and provided with fixture-receiving threads 35 at its intermediate parts.

Said shell is provided at its innerend with a reduced portion 31 (Fig. 3) of square cross section providing opposite pairs of parallel lateral grooves or kerfs 38 and 39 transverse and longitudinal to'the cables and adapted to receivably mount therein the forked branches of a Christmas tree, and/or cord, wire or the like for fastening the husks on the tree.

From the above, it will be seen that I have provided a good looking, safe, reliable, very rugged and very inexpensive electric light socket particularly suitable for Christmas trees, but also suitable for other purposes and large bulbs.

Each groove has a substantially straight bottom or innermost wall, the grooves and said bottoms being right-angularly transverse and longitudinal respectively to the cables and more than twice asdeep as wide are thereby adapted to receive and hold wedged therein a branch of a tree, either transverse or longitudinal to the cables.

Two parallel grooves or the four grooves and the flat lower face are adapted by their form and location to be placed to cooperate with box structure to hold a display of lamps upright in a shallow box having a flat false bottom having husk receiving openings forming margins engaging in the grooves while the flat faces rest upon the tree bottom of the box.

Parallel grooves and their bottoms are adapted to guidethe husks in upright position when such grooves are received on the rails of a track-way of opposed rails. thereby facilitating inserting and inspecting bulbs at the factory or packing place.

Adjacent grooves at right angles to each other and their bottoms are adapted to cooperate to receive two branches of a forked limb close to the fork to hold the husk substantially perpendicular to the plane of the branches. A transverse groove under the parallel cables is adapted to receive a tree branch and to cooperate with the cables and the branch over which the cables horizontally pass, to hold the husk substantially upright.

The invention claimed is: v

1. An electric bulb husk comprising a lampthimble-receiving shell provided at its inner end with a reduced portion of square cross section disposed in a plane right-angularly transverse to the axis of the shell near the end of the shell remote from the lamp and providing opposite pairs of parallel lateral grooves disposed at right angles to each other, about twice as deep as wide and thereby adaptedv to receive'and hold a branch or the like wedged therein for fastening the husk on the branch without the assistance of additiona fastening means.

2. An electric bulb husk comprising a lampthimble-receiving shell; cables passing through the shell on opposite sides of the axis of the shell; said shell being provided below the cables with pairs of opposite parallel lateral grooves transverse and longitudinal respectively to the cables and adapted to receive and hold a branch of a tree or the like.

3. An electric bulb husk comprising an insulating shell having at its upper end a-lamp-thimblereceiving socket having a pair of lamp engaging contacts therein; said shell being provided, in a plane right angularly transverse to the axis of the shell,with a lateral groove deep enough to receive and hold a tree branch, said groove having a substantially straight bottom or innermost face, and being more than twice as deep as wide.

4. An electric bulb husk comprising'an insulating shell having at its upper end a lamp-thimble receiving socket having a pair of lamp engaging contacts therein; said shell being provided with a pair of adjacent lateral grooves, disposed in the same plane transverse to the axis of the shell,

each groove having a substantially straight botgrooves being more than twice as deep as wide.

5. An electric bulb husk comprising an insulating shell having at its upper end a lamp-thimblereceiving socket having a pair of lamp engaging contacts therein; a pair of substantially parallel insulatedconducting cables secured in the shell on opposite sides of the axis of the shell in a plane substantially right-angularly transverse to said axis; said shell being provided, at its lower end immediately under the cables in a transverse plane oifset from, and 'parallel to, said first plane, witha'lateral groove deep enough to receive and hold a tree branch therein, the groove having a substantially straight bottom or innermost face, the groove and said bottom being transverse to the cables, the groove being more than twice as deep'as wide and thereby adapted to receive and hold therein a branch of a tree.

6. An electricbulb husk comprising an insulating shell having at its upper end a. lamp-thimblereceiving socket having a pair of lamp engaging contacts therein; a pair of parallel insulated conducting cables secured in the shell on opposite sides of the axis of the shell in a plane right-angularly transverse to said axis; said shell being provided, at its lowerend immediately under the cables in a transverse plane ofiset from, and par allel to, said first plane, with lateral grooves, each groove having a substantially straight bottom or innermost wall, the grooves and said bottoms being transverse and longitudinal respectively to the cables, the grooves being more than twice as deep as wide and thereby adapted to receive and hold therein a branch of a tree either transverse orlongitudinal to the cables; adjacent grooves at right angles to each other being, with their bottoms, adapted to cooperate to receive two branches of a forked limb close to the fork to hold the husk substantially perpendicular to the plane of the branches; a transverse groove under the parallel cables being adapted to cooperate with a tree branch over which the cables horizontally pass, to hold the husk substantially upright.

7. An electric bulb husk comprising an insulating shell having a flat lower end face and having at its upper end a lamp-thimble-receiving socket having a pair of lamp engaging contacts therein; said shell being provided, at its lower end close to said lower end face with pairs of substantially opposite parallel lateral grooves, each groove having a substantially straight bottom or innermost wall, adjacent grooves being transverse to each other, the grooves being more than twice as deep as wide; the four grooves and flat lower face being positioned relative to each other to give to the husk the function of being able to cooperate to hold a display of lamps upright in a shallow box having a flat false bottom having husk receiving openings forming margins engaging in the grooves while said flat face rests on the true bottom of the box; parallel grooves of the husks and their bottoms being adapted to receive opposed FRANKLYN M. DESSART. 

